... they feared for their newly acquired sovereignty. Today the situation is totally different. Nobody fears for the sovereignty because it’s absolutely guarantied and will never be questioned.
One more remark on the EU’s ignorance towards the EEU. Russian population is only 75% of the EEU population. And this population has no relation neither to Ukrainian crisis nor to the Minsk agreements. Does this mean that 24% of the population means nothing for the EU? Sounds not very European.
Another argument ...
... instead of “federation”.
3. The strategy of “consolidating Europe” involves understanding and refining what has already been done.
4. Flexible Europe. “Flexible integration”
Recommendations
The current systemic crisis in relations between Russia and the West makes difficult forming longterm priorities with regard to Europe. The events of recent months suggest that Moscow is ready to put a great deal of effort into normalizing relations with Europe.
Russia will need to exert substantial ...
... another factor that can make or break the deal. The facilitation of movement of workforce and migration procedures has been seen as a major incentive for signing the agreement, primarily for Kyrgyzstan. As many as 1 mln. Kyrgyz guest workers reside in Russia, Kazakhstan and other EEU countries. Although it is yet to be seen how these measures are implemented on the practical level, legally, the new-coming migrant workers from the EEU countries now benefit from a more favorable immigration regime than their Central Asian counterparts ...
... sustainable development.
At that, the EU should also be interested in finding a common denominator with the EEU, as economic growth in Europe is slowing down and requires new and clear formats of economic relations with its eastern neighbors, including Russia. As long as the EU and the EEU continue to be regarded as competing, rather than complementary projects, the region will have little chance for long-term sustainable development.
Sergey Rekeda:
My attitude towards the prospects for relations between the Eurasian Union and the European ...
In a thought-provoking paper, “How to talk with Russia?”, Kadri Liik singles out three types of Russian analysts: “Many experts undoubtedly serve as spokespersons for the regime, many others have retained a desire to actually understand events, and some are balancing between the two”....
... the desired benefits in terms of stability – but it would have lost the OSCE-based principles of the European order.
Finally, the third option – a combination of firmness and an appealing project - runs the risk of being misunderstood by Russia in the same way the reset was misunderstood. The EU-EEU cooperation especially has its natural limits can cannot be ignored. For the time being, the EEU Commission has a mandate to handle just the trade issues, but one of the Union’s members, Belarus, is not a member of the WTO. For the EU, all trade ...
... was checked.
The report also seems to exaggerate some aspects of society-to-state relationships in Russia. The Orthodox Church has positively revived after the breakup of the USSR, but its role should not be overestimated. Many in the EU do regard the EEU as a counterbalance to the Eastern Partnership, but the integration attempts began back in the 1990s with absolutely different motivation. Russia has been quite active in reforming its armed forces, but apart from acquiring better readiness, they have largely shed hazing, slavery and organizational defects that had been bitterly criticized by the West. Russia in partnership with China, India ...
... on energy exports. Risks on regional level “Вы́ше головы́ не пры́гнешь.” (“You can not jump above your head” – Russian proverb) Being economically the strongest member within the structure of the EEU, Russia is expected to aid the economic development in Eurasia. This position, however, encounters several risks. Firstly, financial support may be realized as the leverage putting Moscow in a volatile situation, considering the correlation between payments ...
... tariffs etc. Transportation issues are also very important and should be coordinated, especially in the context of the Chinese proposal for a “Silk Road Economic Belt”.
Several German participants questioned the balance of power inside the EEU and the role of Russia in decision-making process. But Russian participants stressed that in comparison with the EU in EEU, all decisions are made as a result of consensus. However, despite the political differences between Russia and the EU, the German participants ...
Differences between Russia and Europe have been discussed at length. The fact that these differences exist has taken root in political ideology and social stereotypes in the EU and Russia as well.
The only disagreement concerns the depth of the scission. On the one hand,...